Since Netflix released images of the two leads, Maestro has been clouded in controversy. The two points of contention have revolved around Bradley Cooper‘s decision to wear a prosthetic nose to portray Leonard Bernstein and the casting of Carey Mulligan as Felicia Montealegre, Bernstein’s wife.
While Mulligan was born in England, Montealegre was a Chilean-American actor born in Costa Rica. Despite the negative attention, Maestro producer Kristie Macosko Krieger defended the decision to cast Mulligan because of a blessing they received from the Bernstein family.
“She got the approval of the family and that for us, we were doing it right,” Krieger told GamesRadar+. “It was Bradley’s idea to cast her and we agreed. I think she’s a national treasure and whilst she’s always been great, this material allowed her to go deeper, to give a beautifully nuanced performance. She knew how to be the rock at the center of the movie – in some ways she’s actually the maestro.”
One of Bernstein’s daughters, Jamie, praised Mulligan’s performance in the film. “I think she [Felicia] would really admire Carey’s performance, especially as an actor herself. She would recognize the brilliance of what Carey pulls off.”
What to Expect in Maestro?
“Maestro is a towering and fearless love story chronicling the lifelong relationship between Leonard Bernstein and Felicia Montealegre Cohn Bernstein,” the official synopsis reads. “A love letter to life and art, Maestro at its core is an emotionally epic portrayal of family and love.”
Cooper and Mulligan lead Maestro as Leonard Bernstein and Felicia Montealegre. The rest of the ensemble includes Matt Bomer, Maya Hawke, Sarah Silverman, Michael Urie, Brian Klugman, and Josh Hamilton.
Cooper produced and directed Maestro on a script he co-wrote with Josh Singer. Producers include Krieger, Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, Fred Berner, and Amy Durning. Maestro arrives on Netflix on December 20, 2023.
